Bogner Ecstacy

I don't remember when it was made, I've had if for about five years. Standard options for when it was made (vintage/moder and half power) and the addition of the Class A - A/B switch. Yes the switches are a little tricky and if you don't spend the time to really learn it, you'll think it's hype. Doesn't need more features. I play Country, Blues, and Metal. Think Johnny Cash, SRV, Robert Cray and Rob Zombie. Plenty of power and Versatility.

Guitars I used. Jem 7DBK, Gibson Les Paul (Ducan Alnico II Pro's), a Lonestar Strat, and a strat with fat 50's pickups. When using the Humbucker guitars I go into the Hi input and use normal or B1 on pre EQ switches for the tone I like. With the single coil guitars, I go into the low input and set the Pre EQ switches to B2. I would have no problem playing anything with it if I were looking for good tone. Plenty of clean headroom with a drive knob on the clean channel to add that driven fender sound so you can go from clean to SRV. Mine if Very quiet and works well with effects either before or in the loop.. I would not call the distortion brutal, it's definately high gain but is still articulate.. I had a TSL, I've cranked them both up pretty loud, this amp has much better tone. The TSL was good but had a hint of cheap distortion pedal to the gain tones.

No problems, an LED went out on the footswitch right when I got it, just before actually and the guy I bought it from had it fixed.. I would definately gig without a backup..

They fixed the footswitch right when I got and were helpful and fast. Don't know about the warranty, I bought it used so no warranty was expected. The tech there helped me decide what to get and what to look for even though he knew I couldn't afford a new one. He explained questions I had about the switches.

Been playing for 25 years and working on amps for 18. I got this amp because I was Biasing a bunch of amps for a guy and when I heard this I knew I had to have one. I have about 15 amps, 3 Rivera's, a JSX, a 65 fender (not a reissue)and a JCM 800. There has been a couple times I've really got into playing another amp and thought maybe I don't really need the bogner, then I go back and play it and find I actually don't need the others (except the Quiana). If it wer stolen, lost or whatever, I'd sell as many of my other amps as I had to to replace it. There is nothing about this amp I don't like, not to say that it's the only good amp, I'd also like to have an Ultralead but this is definately my favorite.

All 3 channels of this amp are extremely usable. Each channel has enough EQ control to make it so that almost any sound can be achieved. The channel switching with the Medusa pedal is seamless. My only complaint is that the Boost button for channels 2 and 3 is directly over the Standby button making it easy to accidently silence the amp just as you're going for that great solo that was going to make you a star. I play 3 to 6 nights a week and cover many different styles and this amp always keeps up. The ability to go from 25 to 120 watts makes it so that I can use it in any size room. I can't say enough about the tone of this amp.

The clean channel can get a very glassy, clear tone or a Hendrixy driven tone depending on how much gain you add to it. I have a Gibson 58 reissue with coil tapped pickups and I love my clean sound. You can assign a "Plexi" mode to either channel 2 or 3 which is a pretty authentic sound. Channel 2 has that "Marshallish" tone to it and channel 3 has a similar tone with more gain and a bit darker sounding. I use channel 1 for completely clean tones (Stones, Motown, etc.), channel 2 for classic marshall tones (Zeppelin, AC/DC, ZZ Top) and channel 3 for higher gain tones (Journey, Van Halen, etc.). I know the bands that I described for channel 3 are not very high gain bands but I don't have the gain setting on that channel set very high. The amp isn't noisy and I can use a strat without getting any buzzing sound at all.

I have had the amp for a year and it has never given me a hint of a problem and I play all the time. When I'm not gigging I set it up at home and play so it gets used a LOT! I just retubed it and it sounds fantastic! I love this amp and I never bring a backup.

I have called Bogner a couple of times for various questions and they have always been very friendly and extremely informative. I haven't had to have any work done on it so I don't have any experience in that area.

I have been playing for 30+ years. I have played Marshalls, Peavey Classic 50 (don't laugh! It's a very good amp), Aircraft, some Fender stuff and the Bogner meets my needs the best. I would absolutely run out and get another one if something happened to this one (not that I could afford to). I love the fact that it is like having 3 different amps with me at all times. Everytime I play it I get inspired. There is no built in reverb which at times would be nice but that's hardly a deal breaker for me.

Lots of features...

Ok, there is lots of "buzz" going around about this amp... This seems to be the trend in the industry... remember "Soldano"? That's all we heard about for a while when those amps hit the market... Yet still we don't see all the superstar guitarists using Soldano do we?
Get a soldano... there "point to point"... remember? Soldano is not a bad amp, but not the greatest in the world either.

I don't care if an amp is "point to point" or not... I care about the end result... that is TONE.

Have any of you who gave this amp a "10" really had a chance to A/B it with other amps in a enviroment in which you could turn it up really loud? ... I did. What i discovered will probably make some of you who bought this amp mad.

I A/B'd this amp (with an A/B switch) using an american fender strat.
The other amps where a Marshall DSL, and a TSL 100.

The Bogner flat out lacked the "Mojo" the marshalls had.
I was looking for "tone" Not super over driven Nu-metal tone, but Hendrix, SRV, Robin Trower, Thin Lizzy, big fat round (not too overdriven)power tube tone.

And yes, we spent some time tweaking.

I don't think that the Marshalls are the end all for tone either, and they lack quality workmanship.. but they sounded better than the bogner to us (Us= 3 veteran musicians)

A/B it yourself.

Over all the Bogner wasn't Bad, but it wasn't great either.

Playing for 30+ yrs.

The only raeson I gave ease of use a 8 is because there is a trick to this amp and it's all about the "pre EQ" switches and the "Structure switches" AND the presense assining. But let's face it it's a Bogner and it's gonna sond amazing from the box. It takes some time to get it all figred out but once you do, it's tone heaven!!

You see "10" ratings all over this web site but in reality there are only scattered few things that deserve a real "10" This is, in my opinion a true "10" The Tone of this amp is inspired, amazing, and the work of a true geneious. I seriously can't get over the way this thing sounds. Any tone you could ever want is in there.
The only thing that was a drag to me is that they don't offer spring reverb as an option so for a year or so I was forced to use digital reverb and I hated it!! Then I talked to a local amp guru and he was able to modify a fender '63 reissue reverb tank to work in the loop and OH MY GOD the sound is unreal!!!!!

I've played three nights a week for the last two years with this head and I've never had one problem (except curious guitar people asking me about it on my breaks, interrupting my "shot" time. I swear I could easily be a rep for Bogner) I've had to replace the tubes and get a bias here and there but that's nothing.

Everytime I've had a question they've answered it end of story.

Overall... a solid 10. Iv'e spent so much money on crappy amps and I never found the sound or versatility I wanted untill I picked this baby up. It's expensive as hell but once you buy it your done nothing will ever compare.

Ecstacy 100 watt S series head has 3 channels, clean, crunch, lead. Pre EQ switches for each channel, which allow you to have unbelievable tone shaping capabilities. Series or parallell effects loop. Line out, master volume, effects loop mix. Gain boost via foot switch. Authentic Plexi mode.

This amp will give all the sounds guitar players envy. Old van halen, eric johnson, jimi hendrix, george lynch, SRV, every sound you want.

I have owned my ecstasy for seven months, no problems.

The guys at bogner give a shit, very helpful.

This amp is not cheap but it is handbuilt to kick ass. If you are tired of amp hunting and want to be free to create, buy this amp. You will not be sorry.

The Ecstacy combines the sonic characteristics of the best modern and vintage amps. 100 + watt power section using premium German tubes. Class A/AB. Dual Presence/ Excursion controls. Structure Switch. Old/ New selector. 3 position Pre- EQ Switches for each channel. Assignable Plexi Mode. Channel Assignable speaker cab switching. Dedicated loop for a power attenuator ( channel assignable). Half Power switch. Instantaneous standby on footswitch for onstage guitar switching. Seperate Line out level controls for each channel. Series or Parallel effects loop. Output Tubes Fused in pairs with problem indicator lights. Master Footswitch controls: channels, loop, boosts, and standby.

Any sound you possibly need can be found in this amp. I have owned the Mesa Dual Rectifier, Soldano SLO-100, this head has better tone and is much more versatile. The clean channel sounds like a big Twin. Loud, clean, with massive headroom. Plus, a boost option. Excurcion switches give you three speaker-damping responces: loose, medium, or tight. Pre EQ gives you three diff. sound options. Channel 2, or the CRUNCH channel takes you from slight overdrive to heavy crunch. Channel 2 and 3 also have Pre EQ switches, so you can voice them differently. Also a gain boost is available. The Plexi option is assignable to channels 2 or 3. This sounds exactly like an old Marshall Plexi. Not close or almost. The Structure switch is an overall gain reduction switch for channels 2 or 3. On the Low position channels 2 and 3 have a lower gain starting point. In the High position the preamp will be higher in gain. The Low position is designer for blues or country players.

This being a handbuilt amp using the finest parts, I don't forsee any problems. Also, it has a lifetime warranty.

The Bogner factory answered all my questions. I bought it thru Makin' Music, L.A. Joey Brasler spent plenty of time answering any questions I had, and explaining the different options.

I would buy it again. It really does have every sound you need. Bogner's ad says "from the Beatles to Slayer" they are not lieing. I researched a couple of high end amps, and the Bogner sounded like the best. You can get a cheaper version of the Ecstacy if you want to save a few bucks. It is the same amp with a few features deleted. For $2500 they delete the following: 1. Speaker Switching 2. Class A/ AB power option 3. Attenuator Loop 4. 3 seperate line outs 5. Tweed grille instead of Metal grille ( I paid $150 and got the Metal grille- it looks quite cool)

3 channels, all with a boost option, an authentic "plexi" option available on channels 2 or 3 make this perhaps the most versatile amp I've tried. It seems like most versatile amps, however, lose their own voice, this is not the case with the Bogner.

The most amazing amp I've tried. Vai, Lynch, Eric Johnson, Brad Whitford can't all be wrong!

On the road with the big guys, and mine's never gone down.

Joey at Bogner's a scream. The most friendly, helpful guy I've talked to on the phone.

I'm looking to also buy their new model, the Mojo.